hiking - Canadian Rockies

2023-08-11

Fisera Ridge (Collembola 2nd solo attempt)

The original idea of this hike was to summit Mount Collembola using South-West approach which connects Allan and Collembola via Fisera Ridge. My previous attempt to summit Collembola via North Route was unsuccessful – I turned around at the base of summit block because I could not figure out a way to avoid exposure on this last scrambling push. Unfortunately my second solo attempt was also a miserable failure, but the reason was exactly the opposite: when I reached the […]

2023-08-02

Wind Ridge

Wind Ridge Trail in Exshaw surprised us pretty much with everything: well maintained, not too long, challenging enough, with a little bit of scrambling fun, shady forest, almost no people, and most importantly, incredible views of our favorite Kananaskis peaks from totally unexpected angle, impressive and intimidating. We started early (we always do) and air was more or less clear in the morning, but then wind from the West started to bring lots of smoke from BC fires, and unfortunately […]

2023-07-29

Mount Sparrowhawk

Mount Sparrowhawk is a 3,121-metre (10,240 ft) mountain summit located in Kananaskis Country in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Mount Sparrowhawk’s nearest higher peak is Mount Bogart, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) to the southeast. Mount Sparrowhawk was named in 1917 for HMS Sparrowhawk, a British destroyer that sank during the Battle of Jutland in World War I. This mountain’s name was officially adopted in 1922 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. The first ascent of the peak was […]

2023-07-26

Castle Mountain and Rockbound Lake

Castle Mountain is located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, approximately halfway between Banff and Lake Louise. It is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley and sits astride the Castle Mountain Fault which has thrust older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks forming the upper part of the mountain over the younger rocks forming its base. The mountain’s castellated, or castle-like, appearance is a result of erosive processes acting at different rates on the peak’s […]

2023-07-22

Mount Jimmy Simpson

Mount Jimmy Simpson is a 2,966-metre (9,731-foot) summit located 3 km (1.9 miles) northwest of Bow Lake in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is a member of the Waputik Mountains, and is situated east of the Wapta Icefield and west of the Bow River valley. Mount Jimmy Simpson can be seen from the Icefields Parkway at Bow Lake. Mount Jimmy Simpson is named for Jimmy Simpson (1877–1972) who was a respected outfitter in the […]

2023-07-19

Cirque Peak (take 2)

Most of people just hike 6km to the Helen Lake, spend some time there and return back to the cozy parking lot at HW93, right across the Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint. The lake usually provides a nice reflection and definitely worth a trip. But if you have extra 1.5-2 hours, the views from the nearby Cirque Peak are fascinating. And it’s a hike most of the time, with easy scramble in like only 3 places on the way up and 2 […]

2023-07-16

The Fortress

There are two approaches to Fortress – via Chester Lake or via Headwall Lakes. Both lead to the col between Mount Chester and The Fortress from different sides, and then you hike up the southwest ridge all the way to the summit. There are multiple routes on the ridge but they all end up on the left side of the summit block where there is an easy scramble up to the top. If you see there a path with exposure, […]

2023-07-09

Boundary Ridge via Powderface Trail

More photos from Boundary Ridge via Powderface Trail. A very good guide for this hike can be found here. Our track is here, but it’s not ideal – the trail is overgrown and we lost it and found again a few times.

2023-07-08

The Onion

More photos from The Onion and Bow Hut Route here. Our track is here.

2023-07-06

Morning of the long hike day – every minute counts!

Do as much as you can the day before. Get up as early as you can. There are many reasons for that, if you are planning a long hike: You don’t want to push jerks, recently moved from Ontario, from the left lane all the way to your destination. The later you take off, the more of them will be blocking traffic on Trans Canada Highway. You need to find parking. Last time we arrived at Lake Louise parking lot […]

Fisera Ridge (Collembola 2nd solo attempt)

Wind Ridge

Mount Sparrowhawk

Castle Mountain and Rockbound Lake

Mount Jimmy Simpson

Cirque Peak (take 2)

The Fortress

Boundary Ridge via Powderface Trail

The Onion

Morning of the long hike day – every minute counts!

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